A short update

Every time I look at my blog, I know it's super boring right now. Not much to tell, but I better write at least a little something, right? So, here's the update, by family member...

Natalie:
Is into everything... and I DO mean EVERYTHING!
This morning while I was in the shower, she shredded a roll of toilet paper in the hall. She also finished off my little alarm clock, once and for all. (She's been carrying it around, changing the time and alarm settings every morning for weeks. Today, finally, it looks like she pried the whole face off! Time for a new alarm clock, eh?!) She climbs onto everything, pulls over chairs to get up to the counter or desk, empties drawers, pulls keys off our computer keyboard, and rummages through closets on an hourly basis. Fun.

Here she is, sneaking into the upstairs desk, getting ready to pull out all the electronic cords and do-dads...

Spencer:
Still hasn't given up on his blanket, but we're working on it. He's been learning about "goals" in his preschool, so we're going to set a goal... soon. He loves learning about the body, and has a little magnetic "body parts" book that he loves. He's fascinated with muscles, organs, skin, and bones. And he does not like dinosaurs, and is comforted to know they're all dead. He's still afraid of owls and hears noises in the night. He's started crawling into bed with Samantha when he gets too scared... better than coming into our room, right?? He's my big helper in the kitchen, and loves to make dinner with me. He especially loves the new chopper thing Brian bought for me... Spence is Chopper #1! He also loves doing puzzles and taking baths.

Samantha:
Is LOVING school, and also loves to have a break from school, she's decided. Getting up "early" for school is hard, but worth it! She also likes rewards, and recently started her own chore chart, for her and Spencer. Her chores (which she thought up all by herself) include opening the blinds in the living room each morning, setting the table at dinner time, making her bed, and cleaning the living room. She gets a star for each chore. Then, she can earn extra stars when she does something I ask her to do. (But no, running upstairs to check on Natalie does not always qualify for a star, much to Samantha's dismay!)

Here she is, with her Choose The Right Hero (think Flat Stanley and add church), after she made a wonderful right choice to clean up the living room...

Brian:
Hasn't been too busy at work lately. Maybe I shouldn't post that on my blog, in case some sneaky S&S spy is looking on here?? It's been slow these past few weeks, which is especially nice for me and the kids! We love having Daddy come home for dinner and bedtime. We could definitely get used to this!!

Here he is on the train with Natalie, on our way to the Children's Museum in Manhattan, a few weeks ago. (If I get more regular with my blogging, there are some fun pics of that outing I'd like to share. hopefully?)...

And me:

I'm... not sure what I've been doing? Not blogging. Not doing laundry. Not feeling very motivated in my more domestic roles lately. Guess I'm just enjoying the nice weather we've been having. 70s, people! Read a book outside for a couple of days, while the kids played and destroyed our house. It's been lovely. In fact, yesterday, when it was only 64, I was downright whiny, as I've been so spoiled to start expecting 70+ temps -- in MARCH!?! 

That's it for now, folks. I gotta get busy, packing us up to head to the beach for a picnic lunch today. (Again, I'm a little whiny because it's ONLY 64 right now... even though it'd supposed to get up to 75 by this afternoon.)

Ciao!

ps. a little funny story about "ciao." ... We all know that's Italian for "goodbye" -- right? Well, when I was a missionary, one day a set of elders called us, wanting to know the "secret code" a girlfriend had signed in all caps at the bottom of her letter. "It's gotta be something really cool," the elder said, "but I can't figure it out." Then he spelled out, "C. I. A. O." ... Check In After... No? Can I Ask Over... No? What could it be??! I sat on the phone with him, listening, wondering what in the world he was talking about. After 30 seconds or so, I wrote it on a piece of paper and immediately knew... Ciao. (sounds like chow, Mom.) I let the elder go on for another round or two... Church Is Another Opening... No? Cars In Around...
It's Ciao, Elder. Ciao! Ha ha!

Teething

My friend, Lindsay, just sent me this darling picture of Natalie. So, I thought it was a perfect time to share it and say a little word about teething. Oh boy! the JOY of teething! Dontcha kinda wish they could all come in at once, or at least kind of close to each other?!

Nope. Not Natalie's teeth.

We kept thinking she was teething when she'd get whiny and have a runny nose -- from about 8 months on. And... nothing.
For a looooong time.
Then, she eventually popped out that first one on the bottom at almost 14 months. And then one more on the bottom. Now we've been waiting, waiting again... FINALLY, two more on the top last month. Guess which two?

Her one-year-old molars. Right on schedule. So this kid has two tiny bottom cutters, and two molars on top.  Can you picture it? Is it as strange to you as it is to me??

Last week she finally cut a third molar, this time on the bottom. So now she actually has a pair that match up. Molars. So weird.

Now she's cutting her eye teeth -- the pointy ones on the sides, ya know? ... and nothing on top, front and center. Nice.

Apparently I teethed late as well, in a really strange pattern. Guess it runs in the genes. I'm just curious, has anyone else ever heard of anything so random, or is it just me and my baby?? :)

The Report

I've been not blogging lately. But then, I've come to look at other people's blogs a few different times, and it seems a lot of other people are also not blogging. Maybe it's the season?

Anyway, I realized I last wrote right before our fabulous two-week vifit home. And now that trip is more than two weeks come and gone! I haven't even given the report on the trip. So, for the record, it was WONDERFUL. We had such a nice time catching up with family, reconnecting with friends, and watching our kids get to play with so many cousins and friends.

The best part?

Brian didn't work. Not one bit. Should I repeat that??

He didn't work. And it was wonderful. And since we came back, things have been much lighter for him at work, which continues to make us all feel pretty "up" around here. There's no telling what's around the next corner, but we're loving the family meals, the prayers and wrestling together at bedtime, and the quiet "grown-up" time after the kids are asleep. All is well.

So, I thought I'd just put up a few random pictures from our trip. I didn't take many, but I'm sure you can imagine (or remember?) all the family get-togethers, the late nights snacking on unhealthy bits, the luxury of sleeping in our own king-size bed, for two glorious weeks. (Well, actually, I think we only slept in the bed five times, but I'm probably the only one counting, right?) Here's what we captured on digital film...

Relaxing at our home in Caldwell. Natalie especially loved her new, cushy booster chair, compliments of cousin Cole. (Just wish we could bring it with us back to NY!)...

Taking full advantage of the corner soaker tub. (And before you get too grossed out, they're all wearing undies, so it's more of a swim party than a real bath.)...

Enjoyed visiting with my Grandma Eva, and Grandpa Doug. Grandma Eva turns 89 tomorrow!! 89! We love them both so much!!

Spencer found some good BaBa time, and came back more attached to his finger and blanket than ever. Sigh. I know it's time to be done, but... well. Soon?

Discovering Uncle Wade's iPad. Spencer is a passive observer in this particular pic, but he certainly took his turn. And is now a computer addict...

We helped my parents clean out some storage rooms in the basement (hauled off three full truck loads of stuff to DI and/or dump! yay!), and found some old-time family treasures, like this family flag, from the Phelps Kids Reunion, when I was about 10, I think? Each picture represents one of the family members (mine is the music), and the fire is for all of us, or for camping, or something?? Notice the sweet pun of "Hone Sweet Home"...

 Watched Natalie enjoy her first unassisted Oreo cookie adventure. She loved it, and we loved watching her!

 Natalie was like a little baby celebrity. All the girl cousins LOVED coddling her, taking care of her, playing with her. She's being pushed in the doll stroller by Allie and Sammie, while Ella watches...

 More coddling the girlie...

 A shared birthday party for Spencer and cousin Bryson (they're eight days apart)...

 Complete with red velvet cake (Spencer's request, if you can believe!), on the couch with Grandpa...

 Another joint party with cousin Seth, complete with the traditional pinata...

 And the fight for candy...

We got a pic of Seth blowing out the candles (he's seven!), but I think Uncle Mark is took the pic of me holding the cake for Spence. I'll have to get it from him. Don'tcha love how Seth is wearing part of the pinata? heeehe.

And, that's it, folks. A wonderful trip.I cried when we locked up our house and left it sitting there, with our comfy couches, our beautiful piano, our carpet, our fun painted walls and decorations, and our king-size bed. Sigh. But it was good to get back to our NY home, too. Spring is on its way and we're LOVING it here! More to tell about what we've been up to these past few weeks. Stay tuned... (and hopefully I'll be back soon!)